Health and Safety Information
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Health and Safety Information
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What is the FDA doing to find out more
about the possible health effects of wireless
phone RF?
e FDA is working with the U.S. National Toxicology
Program and with groups of investigators around the
world to ensure that high priority animal studies are
conducted to address important questions about the
effects of exposure to radio frequency energy (RF).
e FDA has been a leading participant in the World
Health Organization international Electromagnetic
Fields (EMF) Project since its inception in 1996. An
influential result of this work has been the development
of a detailed agenda of research needs that has driven the
establishment of new research programs around the
world. e Project has also helped develop a series of
public information documents on EMF issues.
e FDA and the Cellular Telecommunications &
Internet Association (CTIA) have a formal Cooperative
Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to
do research on wireless phone safety. e FDA provides
the scientific oversight, obtaining input from experts in
government, industry, and academic organizations.
CTIA-funded research is conducted through contracts
to independent investigators. e initial research will
include both laboratory studies and studies of wireless
phone users.
or salivary gland, leukemia, or other cancers. None of
the studies demonstrated the existence of any harmful
health effects from wireless phones RF exposures.
However, none of the studies can answer questions about
long-term exposures, since the average period of phone
use in these studies was around three years.
What research is needed to decide whether
RF exposure from wireless phones poses a
health risk?
A combination of laboratory studies and epidemiological
studies of people actually using wireless phones would
provide some of the data that are needed. Lifetime
animal exposure studies could be completed in a few
years. However, very large numbers of animals would be
needed to provide reliable proof of a cancer promoting
effect if one exists. Epidemiological studies can provide
data that is directly applicable to human populations,
but ten or more years’ follow-up may be needed to
provide answers about some health effects, such as
cancer. is is because the interval between the time of
exposure to a cancer-causing agent and the time tumors
develop - if they do - may be many, many years. e
interpretation of epidemiological studies is hampered
by difficulties in measuring actual RF exposure during
day-to-day use of wireless phones. Many factors affect
this measurement, such as the angle at which the phone
is held, or which model of phone is used.
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